Foot protector



Oct. 15,1935.

G. A. MORIARTY FOOT PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 17, 1955 SSheets-Sheet l {jINVENTOR. BY v M...-

Arrow Oct. 15, 1935. G. A. MORIARTY FOOT PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 17, 1933's Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 62

Oct. 15, 1935. G, A. MORIARTY' FOOT PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 17, 1935 3SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR; t a '1 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1935 FOOTPROTECTOR walk, Conn.

Application October 17, 1933, Serial No. 693,906

22 Claims.

This invention relates to foot protectors, adapted particularly toprotect the fore quarters of the feet or" workers in all lines ofendeavor where there is any danger of heavy objects falling onto thetoes or top of the ball section of feet.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a foot protectorwhich is sturdy with out being cumbersome, light and durable, and

which may be easily and quickly secured in place on a shoe. v

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a footprotector which will prevent chips and dirt from accumulating betweenthe shoe upper and the protector.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision ofa foot protector with simple yet sturdy securing means adapted to holdthe protector on the shoe and at the same time preclude all possibilityof displacement.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of afoot protector which is substantially universal in its application, sothat a single protector may be assembled onto a wide variety of stylesand sizes of footwear.

The invention is characterized by several novel features, the mostimportant being yieldable jaws on the protectors arranged to be movedinto a sure gripping position on the uppers of an article of footwear,and being provided optionally with secondary jaws adapted to seize thesoles of the footwear order to positively hold the root protectors inplace. In one embodiment of the invention these jaws are con- 35.trolled by a cam and lever arrangement or equivalent means so as to beslidable into and out of operative shoe gripping position, while inother embodiments the jaws are yieldingly urged into the shoe grippingposition.

40 Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the solid shell form of the presentinvention.

45 Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the foot protector shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 33 in Fig. 2, with the clampingjaws in the open or expanded position.

50 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view with a portion of the topremoved to show the jaw con trolling mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional iew similar to Fig. 3, but shows the jaws in theclosed shoe gripping posi- 55 tion.

Fig. 6 is a top view of a modified form of the present invention inwhich the protective casing or main shell is made in two parts.- v

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of that form of the invention shown in Fig.6.

Fig. 8 is a cross section view taken on line 88 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the protector shown in Figs. 6 through 8applied to an article of foot-'- wear. 10

Fig. 10 is another modified form of the present invention capable of useon shoes of a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the protector shown in Fig. 10. 15.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line l2-l2 in Fig. 11, showing themain shell parts and the clamping jaws in the opened position ready forattachment to an article of footwear.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 12 20 which shows shellparts and clamping jaws in the closed shoe gripping position.

The foot protector of the present invention, in its simplest and mosteconomical form, shown in Figs. 1 through 5, comprises a one-piece metal25 shell l6, shaped substantially like the fore quarter of a shoe andforming a chamber l'l adapted to inclose the toes and part of the ballsection of a users foot. The'shell is provided with side walls It and i9and an abutment is, preferably 30 curved slightly so as to fit aroundand under the upper of a shoe and to rest solidly upon the welt. Thisabutment provides a substantial support for the shaped shell 15 formingthe proteotor casing and is such that the users foot, is not harmed inany way even though the shoe takes the full load of any article droppingonto the protector. The abutment, may be made in the form of severalsmall abutments adapted to rest upon various sections of the welt, butis preferably made as shown, with a continuous surface engagingsubstantially all around the welt of the shoe wherever the shelloverlies it.

Preferably the chamber ll formed by the shaped shell it including theside walls It and i9 and the abutment 2b is formed to accommodate alimited number of different sizes of shoes, rather than a particularshoe.

In order to secure the shaped metal shell It to a shoe, in this form offoot protector the present invention provides a novel structurecomprising a pair of jaws 2! preferably made of spring material having asliding connection 22 with the shaped shell it. This sliding connectionpreferably comprises a pin 23 and slot 24 between each of the jaws andthe shell near the top thereof, and a channel 25 in the side walls l8and. IS, the latter serving to prevent the jaws from pivotal movementabout the pin 23. The jaws are each provided with a main finger 26having a normal retracted or inoperative position as shown in Fig. 3,and having an operative or advanced position as shown in Fig. 5, whereinthe main fingers thereof yieldingly grip the upper of a shoe to hold theshaped shell in place.

In its preferred form the means provided by the present invention forholding the jaws in retracted position and for moving them into theoperative position comprises an inverted drum cam 27 in a dome 28 nearthe top center of the shaped shell I 6 having a flange 29 fittinginwardly between upturned inner and outer fingers 30 and 3| formedintegral with the jaws 2| at the top end thereof, as may best be seen inFigs. 3 through 5. The drum cam is provided with a stud 32 passingthrough a suitable bearing in the dome above which it is provided with asquared shank 33 adapted to accommodate a lever 34 and integral fingerpiece 35 which is preferably rigidly secured thereto. This lever alsoholds the drum cam in the dome, yet permits rotation.

The flange 29 of the drum cam is preferably elliptical in shape so thatwhen the ellipse is longitudinally of the shaped shell IS the narrowwidth of the drum cam draws and holds the jaws in the retractedposition, as may best be seen in Fig. 3. As the drum cam is rotated bypushing against the finger piece 35, the wide section of the flangepresses against the outside fingers 3! on each of the jaws 2! to movethe jaws in the pin and slot connection 22 and in the channel 25 to theadvanced position.

In order to move the main fingers on the lower end of the jaws 2iinwardly of the shell 16 to the gripping position on the upper of a shoethe present invention preferably provides rises 36 on the lower sectionof the channel 25 and lobes 31 on the jaws 2!. Normally these lobes arein sockets 38 above the rises 35, as shown in Fig. 3. However, as thedrum cam 2'! is rotated by the lever 34 the jaws are moved laterally andthe lobes are moved from the socket over the rises 36 toward theposition shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the fingers 26 thereon move inwardlyand yieldingly engage the upper of a shoe, either at the cap sectionthereof, in back of the cap section, or at both places.

Thus the present invention provides a foot protector of simpleconstruction which may be easily and quickly applied to an article offootwear and securely held thereon through the provision of a structurewherein the side walls are shorter and narrower, and adapted to restupon the welt of the shoe, rather than very wide and long to extendoutside the welt and down to the ground or other surface which the solenormally engages, as is common in most foot protectors. Because of thesecharacteristics the foot protector of the present invention is possessedof great strength, even though made of light material, and is notcumbersome.

If preferred, the arms 2| may be provided with integral secondaryfingers 39 of greater length than the main fingers 26, adapted to extenddownwardly and through apertures 48 in the side walls 18 and I9 to aposition adjacent the sole of the shoe, and provided with prongs 4iadapted to bite into the edge of the sole. In the retracted position ofthe arms 2| the secondary fingers clear the sole, as may be seen in Fig.3. However, when the drum cam 21 is rotated and the lobes 37 on the arms2| move over the rises 36 the secondary fingers are moved inwardly ofthe shell, much the same as the main fingers 26, and grip the sole asshown in Fig. 5.

That form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 through 9 retains theadvantages of that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 5 andjust described in detail, for it is also adapted to have the main shellrest upon the welt, and is provided with yielding arms adapted to gripthe upper of a shoe and/or grip the sole, but has the characteristic ofbeing applicable to a wider variety of shoe widths and has a slightlymodified arrangement for moving jaws into shoe gripping position.

Referring now in detail to this form of the invention, the footprotector comprises a pair of shaped shells including a male shell 42and a female shell 43 having a pivotal connection 44 at the front, andhaving a telescoping connection 45 at the top. The telescopingconnection preferably comprises a flat section 46 on the male shell 42and a plate 41, preferably riveted or welded to the female shell 43forming a socket 45a adapted to snugly and slidably receive the flatsection 46. This socket arrangement forms the telescoping connection andstrengthens rather than weakens the foot protector shell, for in effect,it forms a strengthening rib extending longitudinally through themid-section of the foot protector. The purpose of this telescopingconnection is to permit the individual protectors to be opened andreadily applied to shoes, and to satisfactorily fit a larger variety ofshoes. In its contracted state, shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the side wallsof the shells close upon the upper of a shoe, and more particularlyabutments 42' and 43 on the lower edge of the side walls move intoposition to support the shaped shell upon the welt of a narrow shoe. Inits opened state (not shown) the shell members 42 and 43 are moved aboutthe pivot connection, and the fiat section 46 of the main shell 42 ismoved outwardly in the socket 45a into any desired station until theshell members are of the proper size to envelope a larger shoe upper andto rest properly upon the welt of such a larger shoe.

Each of the shells is provided with a spring arm 48 secured in place asby rivets 49 and channels 50. Normally the springs are urged outwardlyof the shell and toward the side walls of the latter, but aresuficiently resilient to be yieldingly moved away from the side wallstoward the interior of the shaped shell formed by the members 42 and 43.

In order to move the pair of shells of each protector into the properopened or closed position for various sizes of shoes, and in order tomove the yielding arms 48 into gripping position onto the shoe or otherarticle of footwear, the present invention preferably provides a strap5! connected at each of its ends to the shells 42 and 43 as by passingthe ends thereof through slots 52 in the side walls and bending thestrap back upon itself with rivets 53 passing therethrough as may beseen best in Figs. 6 and '7. Preferably a longitudinally extending slot54 is provided in the side walls in order to provide a socket to keepthe belt clear of the general plane of the interior walls of the shells,and in order to allow the arms 48 to spring back substantially into thegeneral plane of this inner wall. The strap is proportioned to extendpreferably around the heel of a shoe and is made adjustable by theprovision of a buckle 55 for assembling the foot protector to shoes ofvarious lengths.

In assembling this form of the foot protector, made in accordance withthe present invention, to an article of footwear it is merely necessaryto drop the shell in its expanded state downwardly upon the shoe orslide it lengthwise until the inner wall of a chamber 56 formed by theshells 42 and 43 engages the upper of the shoe, and then pass andtighten the strap over the heel or the heel cap of the shoe. As thestrap is tightened it pulls against the back of the arms 48 andinitially moves the male and female shells 42 and 43 about the pivot 44until the inner face of the side walls or the abutments 42' and 43 atthe lower end thereof engages the sides of a shoe upper, whereuponfurther movement of the shells is prevented. Thereafter the strapyieldingly moves the lower ends of the resilient arms 48 inwardly of theshell and outwardly relative to the sockets 56 provided for the armsuntil main fingers thereon yieldingly grip the upper of the shoe as maybest be seen in Fig. 8. When this condition is obtained the buckle 55 istightened. This functioning occurs in both large and small size shoes,coming within the general limits intended for the individual sizes inthis type of foot protector.

In addition, the lower ends of the arms 58 may be provided with longsecondary fingers 58,

and each of the side walls provided with apertures 59 allowing the longfingers to pass therethrough downwardly into position adjacent the sole.As with the main fingers 51, the long secondary fingers will normally bein a retracted or out-ofthe-way position. However, when the strap istightened in the aforementioned manner these long fingers and prongs 68are drawn inwardly, at the same time that the main fingers are, intofirm biting engagement with the sole, as may be seen in Fig. 8, forminga supplementary gripping medium adapted to more rigidly secure the footprotector to the shoe and to prevent untoward movement of the shellvertically relative to the upper when the fore quarter of a shoe is bentabnormally.

Also, this form of the present invention provides a lock 6| comprisingafiat spring 62 with a pin 63 passing through holes in the female shelland plate 41 downwardly through any one of a series of holes 64 in thefiat section 45 of the shell 42. This lock serves to hold the pivotedmembers 42 and 43 in the desired positions relative to each other afterthey are moved together for a particular size or shape of shoe. Further,

it prevents the shell members from being urged apart and holds the prong66 of the long finger 58 into the sole should the strap 5! flex somewhator inadvertently fall off the heel of the shoe.

That form of the invention shown in Figs. through 13 retains many of thefeatures of the first two forms of the invention already described indetail, but has the characteristic and further advantage of beingcapable of use on a wider variety of shoe widths and of being adjustableat its forward end, as well as at the rear end in order to more nearlyassume the general lines of both pointed and blunt-nosed shoes ofvarious sizes.

Referring now in detail to the structure of this form of the presentinvention, the foot protector comprises a pair of shells including amale shell 65 and a female shell 66 with a telescoping connection 61.The latter preferably extends only through about two-thirds of thelength and not down over the fore part of the casing formed by theshells; this, to better permit lateral movement at both the front andthe rear of the protector when fitting it to variously shaped shoes. Thetelescoping connection is preferably formed by the provision of a fiatsection 68 on the male shell 5 65 and an under-lying plate 69 on thefemale shell 66 forming a socket 16 adapted to snugly and slidablyreceive the fiat section 68. Complementing the telescoping connection,the present invention provides a pin II on the male shell 65 adapted 10to enter a lateral slot 12 in the female shell 66. This pin and slotconnection is proportioned with enough freedom to permit the shells tobe moved arcuately relative to each other in order to conformsubstantially with pointed and blunt shoes, and maintain the two shellsin the proper position longitudinally relative to each other. Thegeneral shape of the chamber 83 formed by the members 65 and 66 may besubstantially like that of the two forms already described, havingslightly curved side walls with abutments 65 and 66' on the lower endthereof adapted to rest upon the welt of shoes.

This form of the present invention provides a novel structure for movingthe shells 65 and 66 from an open inoperative position shown in Fig. 12into a closed operative position shown in Fig. 13, and vice versa. Inits preferred form this structure comprises an eccentric '!3 thin enoughto fit into the socket l6 and of a diameter to fit within an elongatedslot 14 of the male shell 65. This eccentric is provided with a shaft F5passing through suitable hearings in the female shell 66 and at itsupper end is provided with a lever 15 and finger piece 1'! for turningthe eccentric.

When the lever I6 is in the position shown in Fig. 12 the high sectionof the eccentric is on the left side of the protector, thereby forcingthe male member outwardly relative to the female member and placing theshells in the expanded and normally inoperative position shown in Fig.12, wherein the shell may be dropped or slid over the shoe upper intoprotecting position on the shoe. When in this latter position it ismerely necessary to turn the lever in a clock-wise direction, whereuponthe eccentric 13, working in the slot M, moves the shells together untilthe side walls thereof of the abutments 65' and 66 thereof engage theupper of the shoe. In this movement the front and rear of the shells maychange proportionately in movement laterally relative to each other inorder to fit pointed and blunt shoes of various sizes. In the closedposition the abutments thereon rest upon the welt of the shoe.

This form of the present invention provides a spring arm 18 on each ofthe shells 65 and 66, preferably made of resilient material and having amain finger i9 thereon. The lower end of this arm is normally flexedtoward the inner section of the casing, formed by the shells, as maybest be seen in Fig. 12, and serves the purpose of gripping the shoeupper. This structure is such that as the shells and 66 move toward eachother by the eccentric E3 the main fingers 19 on the arms l8 engage andgrip the shoe upper just prior to the 65 side walls and abutments on theshells engaging the shoe or reaching operative position thereon. Thusthe fingers IS on the arms 18 form an additional means to grip and holdthe shells on the shoe. 70

In addition the spring arms 18 may be provided with long secondaryfingers 88 preferably with prongs 8|, adapted to extend downwardly overthe edges of a sole. As the main fingers 19 are flexed inwardly in orderto grip the shoe upper the secondary fingers 80 bite into the soles ofthe shoe just prior to the side Walls and. abutments of the main shellreaching the operative position. When the soles have been moved into theclosed or operative position the main finger grips the upper of the shoeand the long secondary fingers grip the sole of the shoe to sturdilygrip and hold the shells on the shoe and to prevent the cap from slidinglongitudinally from the shoe and may yield or move outwardly of theshells through apertures i8.

While the novel clamping means provided by the present invention isshown only with shaped shells resting upon the welt of shoes, they maybe used advantageously and equally well in foot protectors having shapedshells extending directly to the floor. While the foregoing descriptionhas pointed out the use of the foot protector provided by the presentinvention as applied to shoes, it should be understood that it isequally applicable for use on industrial boots and other articles offootwear. Other variations and modifications may be made within thescope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms onsaid shell adapted to grip the upper of the shoe; and means for movingsaid arms into and out of gripping position.

2. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms; asliding connection between each of said arms and said shell; and meansfor sliding said arms from an inoperative retracted position into anoperative shoe gripping position.

3. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms onsaid shell adapted to grip the upper or" the shoe; and a cam adapted tomove said arms into and out of gripping position.

4. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; fingers on said shelladapted to grip the upper of the shoe; other fingers adapted to grip thesole; and means for conjointly moving said fingers from an inoperativeposition into an operative position to grip the upper and sole of theshoe.

5. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of armsassociated with said shell; a plurality of short and long fingers onsaid arms adapted to grip the shoe upper and sole respectively; andmeans for conjointly moving said arms and associated fingers to and fromgripping position.

6. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a laterally extendingchannel in said metal shell; a pair of arms slidably mounted in saidchannels; and means for sliding said arms in said channel from aretracted position into position to grip the upper or the shoe.

7. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a laterally extendingchannel in said metal shell; a pair of arms slidably mounted in saidchannels; a pin and slot connection between said arms and channel; nibson said arms; and a drum cam engaging said nibs for moving said arms toand from a shoe gripping position.

8. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a pair of arms; means formoving said arms into operative and inoperative positions; andcooperating grooves and lugs on the arms and shell adapted to move thearms inwardly of the shell into the operative shoe gripping position. 10

9. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on saidshell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; spring arms on saidshell; and means adapted to move said arms inwardly relative to theshell to yieldingly grip the upper of the shoe.

10. A Ioot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment onsaid shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; spring arms on saidshell; and means for moving said arms to yieldingly grip the upper ofthe shoe.

11. A foot protector comprising a shaped shell; spring arms on saidshell; short and long fingers on said arms adapted to grip the shoeupper and sole respectively; and means for conjointly moving said armsand associated fingers into upper and sole gripping positions.

12. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfi'ttingshells; a pivotal connection between said shells; arms on each of saidshells; and means adapted to conjointly move said arms and shells froman open inoperative position into a closed operative position upon anarticle of footwear.

13. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfittingshells; a pivotal connection between said shells; sections on saidshells adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe and to grip the shoe;arms on said shells adapted to grip the shoe; and means adapted to movesaid shells toward each other about the pivotal connection to initiallymove said shells toward each other and into operative gripping positionon the shoe, and thereafter causing arms to grip the shoe.

14. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfittingshells; a pivotal connection between said shells; arms on said shells;and an adjustable strap secured to said shell adapted to draw saidshells and arms together from an open inoperative position into a closedoperative and shoe gripping position.

15. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfittingshells; a pivotal connection between said shells; an abutment on saidshells adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a spring arm on theinside of each of said shells; and a heel strap connected to each ofsaid shells, and located between the shells and arms, Ior moving saidshells toward each other until the abutments are in operative positionon the welt and to conjointly move said spring arms into a shoe grippingposition.

16. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfittingshells; an abutment on each of said shells adapted to rest upon the weltof a shoe; a pair of spring arms, one secured to each of said shells andprojecting below the abutment section thereof; and means adapted tocoordinately move said interfitting shells and spring arms from an openinoperative position to a closed operative position with the abutmentresting upon the welt of a shoe and the projecting sections of thespring arms gripping the sole.

17. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfittingshells; an abutment on each of said shells adapted to rest upon the weltof a shoe; arms on said shells projecting below said abutments; and acam adapted to coordinately move said inter'fitting shells and the armsthereon from an open inoperative to a closed operative position with theabutment resting upon the welt of a shoe and the arms gripping the shoe.

18. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells;abutments on said shells adapted to rest upon the welt of shoes; and acam adapted to move said shells toward and from each other and move theabutments from a non-working position free of the welt into an operativeposition with the abutments resting upon the welt.

19. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells, having asubstantial range of spreading movement laterally at both longitudinalends thereof; arms on said shells adapted to grip the shoe; and meansadapted to conjointly move said interfitting shells together laterallyto conform substantially with the contour of the fore quarter of theshoe and to cause said arms to grip the shoe.

20. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells; apivotal connection between said shells; arms on said shells flexedinwardly thereof; and means adapted to hold said arms in grippingposition and said interfitting shells in a protecting position upon anarticle of footwear.

21. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells, having asubstantial range of spreading movement laterally at both longitudinalends thereof; gripping arms in the shell; and means adapted to hold saidinterfitting shells together laterally to conform substantially with thecontour of the fore-quarter of the shoe and to hold gripping armsrelative to the shoe.

22. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of shells; abutmentson said shells adapted 15 to rest upon the welt of shoes; a telescopingconnection between said shells; gripping arms on the shells; a spring onone of the shells; and a pin carried by said spring adapted to passthrough apertures in the telescoping connection and 20 thereby hold theshells, abutments; and gripping arms in predetermined positions on theshoe.

GEORGE A. MORIARTY.

